Lying on the roof in the evening close to dusk and looking up into the now pale blue sky, myriad infinitesimal light particles were raining down. As a child, and even as a young man, I sometimes looked up like this and was mesmerized by the spectacle of these energy particles that seemed to only be visible when looking straight up into the sky with a soft gaze. The intensity I was perceiving now was a thousand-fold stronger than I remembered having seen it years ago. I could not keep my eyes open to it for long, only for 6 or 7 seconds at a time. My inner sense of these particles corresponds to what is described as adamantine particles in the following article: Continue reading →

The following nine answers to questions posed to Ramana, an excerpt from what is known as “Nan Yar” (Who am I?) speak to me especially these days.

Please see the very useful introduction by T. M. P. MAHADEVAN , University of Chennai, India, following this excerpt.

16. What is the nature of the Self?

What exists in truth is the Self alone. The world, the individual soul, and God are appearances in it. like silver in mother-of-pearl, these three appear at the same time, and disappear at the same time. The Self is that where there is absolutely no “I” thought. That is called “Silence”. The Self itself is the world; the Self itself is “I”; the Self itself is God; all is Siva, the Self. Continue reading →

The Sanskrit word “vajra” entered into my consciousness a few days ago accompanied by a vision of a male figure sitting cross-legged inside a diamond-shaped geometric structure standing on end in space. The energy quality of the vision and of the structure with the man inside correspond with the character of the Vajra described below.

“Vajra is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond. Additionally, it is a weapon which is used as a ritual object to symbolize both the properties of a diamond (indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force).”

This next short excerpt from a Buddhist text gives me the outline for my Vajra practice.

“The first yoga is called one-pointedness. One realizes that to remain calm, relaxed and aware of mind’s true, void nature is the one medicine which cures all mental ills. While cultivating experiences of bliss, non-thought and crystal clarity, one continuously lengthens the time that can be spent in deep meditation. The effects of the latter become more and more widespread, changing the quality of waking life and dreams.”

(Excerpt from “Mahadzog – The Great Perfection and the Great Seal” Part 2 – establishing enlightenment www.khenpo.eu/mahadzog.pdf )

The task is then to cultivate experiences of bliss, non-thought and crystal clarity and thus continuously lengthening the time that one can spend in deep meditation.

I see now that there is nothing else to do beyond cultivating experiences of bliss, non-thought and crystal clarity. I recognize that the state of Vajra, the energy state of diamond – thunderbolt, is a key for me. It attunes me to bliss. I see that bliss is the state of taking my stance from a position free of all residue of the past, of the conditioned mind flow. These experiences of bliss are born of the non-thought experience which in turn allows crystal clarity to arise. These three qualities of experiences are like three facets of a gemstone: all three belong together. I see how they are equated to sat-chit-ananda. Sat (absolute beingness) is the state of non-thought, chit (absolute consciousness) is the crystal clarity, and finally, ananda is absolute bliss. These three are existential imperatives that I am called to attune myself to in my waking hours like a radio set tuning into a certain frequency.

This post contains three pages from the book “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind” by Shunryu Suzuki. There is a lot said in this short chapter from Shunryu’s classic on zen that for me is directly relevant to living the new paradigm. As you can see, this new paradigm is not really so new to humanity as a whole and many sages throughout the ages have lived as the New Human. This time we live in is the Shift of the Ages because so many of us now understand the need to live this new way and have acquired the skills to do so. I read Shunryu’s instructions substituting the words “the new paradigm” where he says “zazen” or “Zen practice” etc. Reading it this way frees this understanding from a label like ‘Zen”, since it is actually universal in my understanding.

Every morning (if it’s not storming) I walk ten minutes from our duplex down to my driftwood studio and sit with my coffee or tea to read, write and contemplate. Right now I am reading Thich Nhat Hanh’s excellent book “Nothing to Do, Nowhere to Go” on the teachings of the Zen Master Linji. I also have my Sony eBook reader with me that has several other favorites I am currently reading off and on.Continue reading →

“Look at your mind dispassionately; this is enough to calm it. When it is quiet, you can go beyond it. Do not keep it busy all the time. Stop it – and just BE. If you give it a rest, it will settle down and recover its purity and strength. Constant thinking makes it decay.”

Visitor: How can my mind be still if I have to use it more than other people? I want to go into solitude and renounce my headmaster’s work.Ramana: No. You may remain where you are and go on with the work. What is the undercurrent which vivifies the mind, enables it to do all this work? It is the Self. So that is the real source of your activity. Simply be aware of it during your work and do not forget it. Contemplate in the background of your mind even whilst working. To do that, do not hurry, take your own time. Keep the remembrance of your real nature alive, even while working, and avoid haste which causes you to forget. Be deliberate. Practice meditation to still the mind and cause it to become aware of its true relationship to the Self which supports it. Do not imagine it is you who are doing the work. Think that it is the underlying current which is doing it. Identify yourself with the current. If you work unhurriedly, recollectedly, your work or service need not be a hindrance.

This is an excerpt from David Godman’s book, “Ramana Maharshi – Be As You Are”, p. 130

Last evening there was a velvety-silken, warm, very light breeze and a stillness that I felt I could scoop up with a big spoon and spread on my bread.

In the twilight (9 pm PST) the Crescent Moon and Venus were shining in the western sky above the last subtle hues of the sunset. I took some shots with my hand-held little camera and these are the results:

Moon and Venus Dancing

At the bottom are street lights and car lights. Click on an image to enlarge.

Lookin fer somethin?

Quick Links by Date

on the back shelves

These are good ones!

Wanna get emails with new stuff?

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,595 other followers

How many have come through:

105,655 Thanks for your visit!

EXPLORE CONSCIOUSNESS

What is the source of consciousness? Do we affect consciousness? Is our world the reflection of a deeper reality? What is the ultimate Reality? What is our True Being? Can we contact Reality? Contemplate the changeless constant.